The Hives - Rigor Mortis Radio

 

1. Who are The Hives? 

The Hives are a garage rock band from Fagersta, Sweden. They have been making music since 1993 and Rigor Mortis Radio (July, 2023) is the third single off their sixth album The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons (Aug, 2023). 

2. What kind of song is Rigor Mortis Radio? 

Rigor Mortis Radio is a jaunty radio-friendly garage rock song with hand claps and wide appeal to the masses about having the confidence to live life your own way. It carries just enough spark of originality to survive on my playlist as a guilty pleasure. 

3. Which bands do The Hives sound like? 

They are often compared to bands like The Jets, The Vines, The Fratellis, The Von Bondies.  

4. Which bands influenced The Hives? 

Their early influences are said to be Rancid, The Dead Kennedys, Turbo Negro, and New Bomb Turks. 

5. What did the sycophants in the press say about Rigor Mortis Radio?

"Swaggering" - Stereogum.

"Feral energy, a garage punk fizzer to sit along the greats" - Clash Music.

"A slice of grinding stomping and insanely infectious Garage Punk - 100 Word Song Review.

"Here's how much longer I can stand your shit,

I'm gonna hold it back, this tongue in crack,

It's gotta end I'm not an evening snack"

Gimp Fist - Seventeen

 

1. Who are Gimp Fist? 

Gimp Fist are a street punk band from Bishop Auckland, England. They formed in 2005 and Seventeen (June, 2024) is the lead single from their tenth album Losing Streak (July, 2024). 

2. What kind of tune is Seventeen? 

Seventeen is more pop punk than Oi but it still whips past as fast as a Cheetah's dick. Something about being a retard at school and nostalgia for records. 

3. Who do Gimp Fist sound like? 

The Old Firm Casuals, Booze & Glory, The Last Resort.  

4. Which bands have influenced Gimp Fist? 

Gimp Fist's main influences are Cock Sparrer, The Clash, Rancid, and The Business. 

5. What have the press said about Gimp Fist?

"Fast and furious working class punk rock" - Indie Punk and Alternative.

"Rousing old school UK skinhead rock'n'roll & street punk sound" - Rough Trade.

"An over-arching sense of angst and urgency" - Louder Than War.

The Frights - Over It

The Frights are a surf-punk/garage-rock band from San Diego, California. Over It (Nov'18) is the third single from their third album Hypochondriac (Aug'18) The Frights sound similar to SWMRS and FIDLAR. They are influenced by Rancid and Offspring. Zac Carper (FIDLAR) produced. Over It is the sound of a band that has hit it's stride.It sits on top of a fat, lazy riff and milks the loud/quiet dynamic until the cow is dry. Close to radio-friendly, while spiky enough not to alienate their punk fans, Over It is the best thing The Frights have done.

RAT BOY - Internationally Unknown

1.    Who is RAT BOY? 

RAT BOY is Jordan Cardy from Chelmsford, England. He has been making music since 2012. Internationally Unknown (Oct’18) is the title track from RAT BOY's second album Internationally Unknown (Jan’19). 


2. What's he got? 

A commercially pleasing song that mixes hip-hop beats and radio-friendly production with faux-angsty punk. And a sticky chorus. Standard issue wank but its done well. 


3. Who does RAT BOY sound like? 

Jamie T (to a t). The Streets or Beastie Boys at a stretch. 


4. What have the copy and paste cunts said?

“Rabble-rousing riot act” – Discover Music. 

“Pure punk with LA sunshine drenched production” – Nest HQ.

“Upbeat and angsty, infectious tune” – It's Not Records.

5. Who is RAT BOY influenced by? 

The Clash, Beatie Boys, The Streets, Blur and Rancid.

6. Why should I give the tune a listen? 

Unknown Internationally is pure pop stupidity with enough of the musical trappings of angry rock (read: punk) that it just might tickle your tail feather. RAT BOY is one of the genuinely most interesting cross-genre artists England has at the moment and his (second going on third) album has some straight up punk credibility. 

7. What other tunes does RAT BOY have worth a listen? 

Revolution is genius. And No Peace No Justice with Tim Armstrong (from Rancid) has got to be done. On principle. It isn't too shabby either. 


8. Any more words? 

Unknown Internationally (the album) was knocked up in a couple of weeks after a bromance between RAT BOY and Tim Armstrong (singer from Rancid). Armstrong produced the album and at different times members of The Interrupters and Rancid lent a hand.

The Frights - Crutch

1. Who?

The Frights are a garage band from San Diego, California. Crutch (May'18) is the first single from their third album.

2. What?

Standard issue surf punk noise. Mixes melodic, suspenseful, verses with full-tit, rock out choruses; with a modicum of expertise.

3. Who do The Frights sound like?

SWMRS, WAVVES, and FIDLAR.

4. What have the rags said about Crutch? 

“A pummeling, high energy track” – DIY. 

“Chugging guitars come head to head with cymbal smashing percussion” – The Line Of Best Fit. 

“Incendiary first excerpt” – Son Of Marketing. 

5. Which bands influenced The Frights?

The Frights were influenced by bands like Rancid, The Offspring, Black Flag, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Social Distortion.


6. Why should I listen to The Frights?

Because you don't have enough surf punk in your life. Because you like your punk hey diddle, diddle, straight down the middle.


7. Do The Frights have any other good tunes?

Hell yeah. Kids is basement punk with a rockabilly side done right.


8. Anything else?

Nah.

For better or worse State Champs are a popular version of American pop-punk. They are from Albany, New York, and have been playing together since 2010. Bands typically associated with State Champs are All Time Low, 5 Seconds of Summer, and The Wonder Years. Their influences are Jimmy Eat World and Fall Out Boy. Dead and Gone (April'18) is the lead single from the State Champs' third album Living Proof (June'18). Dead and Gone is the type of cotton candy State Champs have teased in the past but, now they have gone all-in. It's bombastic, meaningless, vacuous, trite, shite. As contagious as a hobos foreskin in summer though. A guilty pleasure (the song not hobos foreskins Charlie Chaplin).

The Interrupters - By My Side

1.    Who are the crew? 

The Interrupters are a ska punk band with a social conscience from Los Angeles, California. By My Side is the lead single from their second album Say It Out Loud (June'16). 

2. What kind of tune is By My Side?

By My Side is a rabble rousing ska charger with a gang vocals chorus. A party maker, arse shaker, fist pumper, hug maker and beer drinking song. And with a word about solidarity.

3. Who do The Interrupters sound like?

And Out Come The Wolves... era Rancid. Sublime, No Doubt and The Specials a bit. 

4. What have the cut and paste bandits said about By My Side?

“A fist-pumping, tender tribute to outcast solidarity” – Hell Cat Records.

“Guitar driven and melodic” – Havoc TV.

“Undeniably fun and urgent” – New Noise Magazine. 

5. Which bands have put the skank into The Interrupters tunes?

The Interrupters are influenced by bands like The Clash, Rancid, No Doubt, The Specials and Joan Jett.  


6. Why should I give By My Side a lash? 

By My Side is the best party music and would make a dead man dance. End of story. 


7. Do The Interrupters have any more of these solid gold songs? 

Indeed. Take Back The Power embodies the rebel spirit. Actually they are all good. Listen to all the songs.


8. Any more words poppet?

Say It Out Loud was produced by Tim Armstrong of Rancid. 

The bass player, guitar player and drummer are brothers.

“You’ve been there since Queen St in 1993,

Yeah twenty years and a thousand beers and you’re still there for me”

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are one of the most influential ska punk bands ever. Formed in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1983 they have nine albums on their flag of battle honors. Their iconic album is Let's Face It (1997). It is their most successful, being certified platinum, and the lead single The Impression That I Get went to number one on the Billboard Modern Rock charts. Sputnik Music say Let's Face It is “one of the greatest ska-punk albums to come out of the nineties.”

“Or has it come down to do-or-die,

You need a strength most don’t possess”

The Best Indie Songs of 2014 - Young Rising Sons

Young Rising Sons High (Feb’14) is positively gleeeful. Yeah that’s right, with an extra E. No surprises given the name. Christ it starts with a chirpy whistle of the hook. An earnestly sang verse to set up the jump and bounce, all together now, chorus. The whole song feels like a rise.

 

 

If you’ve had enough of uplifting, chippy, indie pop songs with “heys”, handclaps and big drum, don’t go near this one. But if you want to find yourself smiling, brim-full of love for the world, without chemical assistance, perish the thought,  the eagle lands at the one minute mark.

“Just let it go, enjoy the ri-ii-de”

 

 

Young Rising Sons come bouncing out of Red Bank, New Jersey. They have been elevating the masses since 2010. High is off their first self-titled EP (July’14).The band have only dropped two E.P.’s so far.

Young Rising Sons have gone on jaunts with The Griswolds, Kongos, The 1975 and Weezer inflto name but a few.

Young Rising Sons get their indefatigable lust for life from the likes of The Temptations, The Boss, The Beatles, Green Day, Tom Petty and Rancid.

Heart fit for bursting? Switch on and feel the love with King of the World, Red and Gold and Turnin’.

  

For the comedown Dashboard Confessional and Hands Down (2003) a song about the best date of his life.